Jesus recognized a problem in the church at Laodicea that could easily be described as "fence-sitting." He informed them that He was aware of what they had been doing and frankly had to let them know that it nauseated Him, made Him sick. He spoke to them of being lukewarm, wishing them to be either hot or cold, but not in between.

1. YOUR CONDITION: LUKEWARM

   --What factors contribute to our lukewarmness?

   OBLIVIOUS TO REALITY

   Revelation 3:17 --"You live in a fantasy world...you don't even know what your true condition is, nor the condition of the world around you," says Jesus.

   1. Naive Assumptions

      --When we make assumptions about ourselves and our world, we can be very naive and come to conclusions that are superficial and potentially dangerous.

      • If I stick my head in the sand, the problems will go away.
      • If I do not feel bad, I cannot possibly have a serious problem.
      • If I follow my heart, I will never get in trouble.
      • If I can find my place somewhere in the pack, I can't be too far off course.
      • If I have always been the way I am and others are like me, why should I risk changing anything?

   2. Myopic Assessments

      --Viewing things myopically confines our field of vision to a narrow band and gives us tunnel-vision.

      --If we assess our condition through blinders, we often tend to focus only on what we want to see, not on what is actually there.

      • If I choose not to look at the consequences of my value systems, I can be lulled into a false sense of security thinking that what I spend my life on makes no difference as long as I am sincere.
      • If I ignore the presence of pain in the people around me, I can convince myself that I have no reason to get involved in their lives.
      • If I believe that the level of my spiritual growth and understanding is just fine, I have no reason to think about being more committed, more earnest, more faithful.
      • If I don't allow myself to become familiar with the way others think and live, I will not be responsible for finding effective ways to communicate the message of hope available through Christ. (EVERYONE IS LIKE ME OR WILL BE WHEN THEY GROW UP.)

      --With such a narrow view of the world around me, I can afford to care little for anyone or anything else but what I want.

      --This can lead to lukewarmness by making us comfortable on the fence, satisfied with where we are, complacent with our condition.

   3. Gradual Accommodations

      --There are two ways to reach a lukewarm condition, one immediate (add cold/hot water to other) and one gradual (do nothing to maintain the temperature).

      1. Immediate
               By adding hot to cold, or cold to hot, you can reach lukewarmness rather quickly.
         • When we introduce the cold formalism of religious duty and external activity to the fiery hot passion of a love for Jesus Christ we become lukewarm.

         • When we embrace the chilling effects of cold-blooded sinfulness to the burning desire to know and belong to Christ, we become lukewarm.

      2. Gradual
               Many do not rush to an immediate state of lukewarmness but get there gradually simply allowing the fire to go out by doing nothing to stoke it to full flame.
         • When we stop guarding our hearts, minds, tongues and bodies, we fall gradually but quite certainly into an indifferent state, caring nothing about our condition, giving way to our apathetic response to the promptings of the Spirit.

         • When we neglect the Word, inhibit our worship, recite our prayers, and limit our devotion, we gradually grow cold with no fuel for the fire of Christ.

         • When we choose criticism over encouragement, discontentment over thanksgiving, complaining over rejoicing, our way over God's will, stick by stick, we remove the fuel from under the boiling caldron of a life bubbling over with life.

         --Gradually, we accommodate the new condition of lukewarmness and prefer it to the fires of passion for Christ as well as to the frigid disregard for the things of God.